Christie fundraiser gets second chance in Atlantic City

Aerial view of the Atlantic City oceanfront shows the Revel Hotel and Casino’s silver tower and the Showboat (far left), both of which are closing.(Photo: Associated Press)

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A top Gov. Chris Christie fundraiser in charge of state gambling and entertainment policy is getting a second chance to remake Atlantic City despite presiding over a rash of casino closings putting more than 6,000 out of work.

Atlantic City has seen more spending on items such as show tickets, amusement attractions and alcoholic beverages but has been clobbered by losses in gaming revenue, which peaked at $5.2 billion in 2006 and slipped to $2.9 billion last year.

Consensus ideas from a Sept. 8 summit of state and local leaders called by the Republican governor to address the future of Atlantic City will be turned over to real estate executive Jon F. Hanson, chairman of an ad hoc state commission that will decide how to implement reforms.

Revel opened in April 2012 but was unable to turn a profit and will close Sept. 2. Xanadu, originally proposed in 2003 but stalled during the economic downturn, is not expected to open before fall 2016.

"New Jersey has gone from having 3,000 standardbred mares bred in the best year to only 110 bred last year and casinos are closing. State policy is absolutely to blame. We don't have the stability or purses that can attract investment from horse buyers,'' Perretti said.

Other gaming industry said they're hopeful about the summit and praised Hanson's past efforts.

Bob McDevitt, president of Unite Here Local 54, which represents restaurant and hotel workers at the casinos, said, "It's too early to have expectations about what will come out of the summit but I have hope that it will help us. I'm looking forward to it and I have a lot of confidence that Jon Hanson can be of assistance.''

No representatives from the horse racing industry have been invited but Monmouth Park adviser Dennis Drazin said he's "made an inquiry'' to change that.

"Any discussion on the expansion of gambling outside of Atlantic City should involve Monmouth Park,'' Drazin said.

Hanson, who could not be reached for comment, is not a paid adviser to Christie but he benefited from a $105.6 million location-specific tax break included in legislation Christie signed last year.

Hanson's real estate company will develop a hotel and office building near a hospital in Paterson in a joint venture with a non-profit organization but Hanson's firm will end up owning the $53 million office building. The law Christie signed carried extra perks for properties "located on or adjacent to the campus of an acute care medical facility."

Hanson said he didn't consult with Christie on the bill and Christie spokesman Kevin Roberts in an email said, "As Mr. Hanson himself has publicly confirmed, the governor had no conversations with Mr. Hanson on this project, nor was the governor aware that the project would qualify.''

Hanson raised millions of dollars for Christie as finance chairman on his 2009 and 2013 election campaigns. He donated the maximum $7,600 to Christie's primary election and general election campaigns in 2009 and maxed out again in the 2013 election cycle.